Gone Baby Gone
by blueland10
Summary: Being in a relationship with Neal Caffrey is never normal. Every day is a surprise. Sequel to I'm Not That Easy Blue Eyes
1. Chapter 1

A/N: Hey Guys! This is the sequel to I'm Not That Easy Blue Eyes! It takes place roughly a year after the accident just to let you know. Hope you enjoy!

I don't own White Collar just the little mistakes here and there!

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><p>Eleanor Roberts lay stretched out on the sand, the warm tropical sun dancing on her back. The thick smell of sea salt and hibiscus flowers mingled with the lazy breeze and the soothing sounds of waves crashing on the shore to form a serene lullaby. Neal lay beside her, his well sculpted chest glistening in the afternoon light. His hand was intertwined with hers as he slept on. It was peaceful here. The sound of the waves washed away all of her fears and anxiety. She was no longer plagued with constant thoughts of work or reminded of the dull pain in her leg she felt with every step. Here, her mind was free from any burden, free to wander where ever it desired. It was just her, the sun, the sand, and Neal.<p>

"We should buy a house out here." she said more to herself than anything.

"A house?" Neal asked his eyes opening to reveal a pair of clear blue eyes that rivaled the ocean.

"Yeah, but not a big one, a small one, big enough for you and me." Eleanor said sitting up and looking at the crystal blue water kissing the azure sky. "A nice little house away from the city, you could wake up in the morning, look out you window and be in paradise."

"I don't need a beach front view to be in paradise." Neal said leaning over kissing her gently on the lips. A flock of seagulls flew overhead, their cries echoing all around. At first the sound was peaceful but then the gull's call turned loud and piercing.

"Ellie." Neal moaned groggily, the pressure of his hands on her hips gone. The warm tropical breeze had been replaced with cool steady air and the hypnotic sounds of the waves had vanished. All she could hear was the annoying call of her alarm.

Groaning and clenching her eyes shut, reality hit her. She was not on some tropical beach escape but lying in bed, Neal moving restlessly beside her. Mustering the energy, Eleanor slow got up, hissing though clenched teeth as a sharp pain shot up her left leg. Reaching for her phone, she shut off her alarm, the numbers 3:30 burned into her eyes. _Why did I say I would take the morning shift_? She thought to herself as she looked back at Neal, who was no longer moving but blissfully out cold. Rubbing her eyes, she limped over to Neal's closet and pulled out a pair of dark blue scrubs.

She made her way to the bathroom and turned the hot water on full blast. The scalding water drummed on her back easing away her tension and relieving the pain in her leg. It had been almost a year since the accident and things slowly started to get better. Most of her injuries had all but healed. All she was left to manage with was random bursts of pain that would leave her temporarily immobile and the subtle limp in her gate. Other than that, her life had almost returned to normal. Almost.

Being in a relationship with Neal Caffrey was never normal. Every day was a surprise. He was something she had never seen before. Constantly upbeat, always moving, always charming. All Neal had to do was flash his winning smile and he could have anything that he wanted. Neal was a con man and Eleanor was madly in love with him. Neal had been there for her in her darkest time, she owed him everything.

After her shower Eleanor pulled on her scrubs and toweled her short dark hair dry. Before she left, she gave Neal a soft kiss on the cheek and swept from the room. It was still dark in the rest of the house, yet despite the early time, the outside street was bustling with cars. The morning air had an invigorating bite to it, the sweet perfume of summer shinning though. Sighing to herself she stepped off the curb and hailed a taxi. She didn't know why but today felt like it was going to be a long day

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><p>"Ellie! Hey Ellie!" called a young nurse standing up from her chair as Eleanor walked by. Eleanor closed her eyes and stopped walking. She had hoped to pass by the nurses' station completely unnoticed, especially by the newbie. Not that she had anything against the new girl, Eleanor was sure she was a nice person, she was very…over the top.<p>

"What's up Janet?" Eleanor said false cheerfulness in her voice.

"You have a phone call." Janet said holding out the phone.

"Can you tell them to call me later? I'm a little busy."

"It's your mother."

"My mother?" Eleanor asked in disbelief.

"She seems like a very nice woman." Janet said with her sticky sweet smile. "She reminds me a lot of my grandma; did you know that I'm from the south too? Well, really, I was just born down there, but my grandma lives-"

"Just give me the damn phone." Eleanor snapped cutting off Janet. Janet pursed her lips together and handed over the phone. "Hello?"

"Ellie is that you?" her mother asked in her thick southern accent.

"Yeah mom it's me. Is something wrong?" Eleanor asked turning away from the nurses' station so she could have her conversation in peace.

"No nothing's wrong. Why do you always assume something is wrong when I call?"

"Because you never call unless something_ is_ wrong."

"Oh now that's not true, I call you all the time."

"Really, as I recall the last time you called me it was to tell me that Aunt Sharrie died, three years ago. I think that qualifies as bad news mom."

"Oh…well I was calling to let you know that I'll be town in a few days!" her mother said after a beat of silence.

"In town? You mean like here in New York?"

"Yes, silly what else would I mean?"

"H-how long are you staying?"

"A day or two. Your father and I are going to spend the rest of the summer at your Aunt Betsy's house."

"Dad's coming too?" Eleanor said her mouth hanging open.

"Well I can't leave without him."

"Where are you two going to stay?"

"At your apartment of course, is there a problem with that?"

"No, no problem."

"No…" her mother said expecting to hear Eleanor say more.

"No Ma'am, there is no problem." Eleanor said blushing.

"Our flight arrives tomorrow at noon; will you be picking us up?"

"Yeah, I'll pick you up." She said breathlessly.

"Good, then I'll see you tomorrow. I love you."

"Love you too." Eleanor said before hanging up the phone and smacking herself on the head. _What the hell just happened_? She thought to herself as she returned to phone to the nurses' station.

"Uh oh, I know that look. What happened?" Neal asked walking up to her, dressed smartly in a charcoal gray suit.

"My mom just called. She's coming into town. With my dad." She said still shocked.

"Is that a bad thing?" Neal asked confused.

"I haven't talked to my mother since Danny's funeral."

"So it is a bad thing?"

"What are you doing here?" Eleanor asked suddenly as if waking up from a horrible dream.

"I was picking you up for lunch that is if we are still going?"

"Yeah, yeah, just hold on a second." Eleanor said shaking her head. She walked behind the nurses' station on left a note on Janet's computer telling her she was out. Neal wrapped his fingers around Eleanor's as they walked out of the hospital.

Eleanor was in a state of disbelief. She hadn't talked to her mother in almost six years and now here she was stopping by like nothing happened. It was so out of the blue that it had taken Eleanor completely by surprise. After her last conversation Eleanor was sure that her mother would never talk to her again. But this was her mother she was talking about. Her mother was a crazy aristocratic southern woman who held strong to her beliefs. If you did something she didn't like, she wouldn't hesitate to ridicule you. She would be the one to randomly show up just to catch her off guard and point out all of her faults.

"Ellie are you ok?" Neal asked his eyes wide as they walked down the sidewalk. Eleanor had been so wrapped up in her thoughts that she hadn't noticed how tight her grip had gotten around Neal's hand.

"I'm fine." She said quickly, loosening her hold on Neal's fingers. Neal gave her disbelieving look a small smile forming on his lips.

"You were thinking about your mother weren't you?"

"No." she lied. Neal's eyes smiled back at her, not believing her lie. "Yes, I was."

"You wanna talk about it?" he asked as they stop in front of a hot dog stand. Eleanor bit her lip looking at Neal with hesitation in her eyes.

"No, don't worry about it. I'm fine." She said brushing off his offer.

"Fine, we won't talk about it." Neal said taking two hot dogs from the vendor and walking over to a bench. The bright summer sun was shining in full force. Its warm glow filtering through the green leafs. It was a beautiful day, yet Eleanor couldn't appreciate it; her conversation with her mother still weighing heavily on her mind. The more and more she thought about it, the angrier she got.

"I just don't get it!" she said suddenly. "She calls me after all these years like nothing happened, oooh she makes me so mad!"

"Ok I guess we are going to talk about it." Neal said taken aback by her outburst. "What happened between you two?"

"After the funeral she wanted me to come back to Georgia with her. She wasn't that thrilled when I left in the first place, so she thought Danny's funeral would be the perfect time to get me back home. She said I had nothing left for me here and I should just go back with her. But I told her that I didn't want to. I still had a life here, even without Danny. I had friends, a job, I wasn't about to leave it. We had this big fight…I haven't talked to her since."

"So what's the big deal? It sounds like she's gotten over the fight."

"Yeah right, my mother doesn't 'get over' things. She'll hold a grudge to the grave especially if it's someone in the family. No she's just coming up here to point out all the flaws in my new life. She just so damn controlling. Always yes ma'am, no ma'am, yes sir, no sir. It's her way or the highway." Eleanor spat.

"Do you really think that? Even after all these years, you still think she's mad at you for not moving back with her?"

"I don't think, I know. Just you wait and see, she'll bring it up when she meets you-" Eleanor stopped suddenly, the color draining from her face. "Oh my God, she has to meet you!" if her mother didn't want her living in New York, then she sure as hell didn't want her daughter dating a convicted felon. She felt her face grow red as her breaths came in quick short gasps.

"Ellie, calm down!" Neal said rubbing her arm. "It's not that big of deal!"

"Oh yes it is! You don't know her the way I do Neal! If I tell her about you she'll kill me!"

"Then we don't tell her who I really am." Neal said with a glint in his eyes.

"What are you talking about?" Eleanor asked confused.

"I think I can live with not being Neal Caffrey, con man, for a day." He said smiling.

"You would do that for me?"

"I would do anything for you Ellie." He said kissing her on the forehead. "Which name do you like better, George Devore or Nick Halden?"

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><p>Tell me what you think!<p> 


	2. Chapter 2

A/n: Thanks to: puellascribit5, gibbsbabygirl93, leaned, and whoaaitsmichele for the reviews and to all who have alerted! They make my day! I hope you guys enjoy this next chapter! I think there is only like, 38 more days until all new White Collar! Woohoo the wait is almost over!

I don't own White Collar just the little mistakes here and there

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><p>Eleanor stood nervously in the airport lobby, biting her lip. Neal stood next to her, looking dashing as always, holding her close. Her mother and father would be here any minute now, bringing with them her mother's judging sneers and haughty comments.<p>

"Just breathe Ellie, everything's going to be fine." Neal said trying to calm her down.

"Yeah everything, fine, yeah." She said not making much sense.

"Hey come on, talk to Me." he said grabbing onto her shoulders, making her face him. "Ask me anything, anything at all."

"H-how was work?" she asked her eyes darting over to the terminal every few seconds.

"Work? Out of all the questions you could ask me, you ask about work?" Neal said with a chuckle.

"Well you know what Neal, that's the first thing that popped in my head ok? I'm not like Peter, I don't want to know about your past crimes!" she snapped.

"Alright work it is. We're still trying to crack a string of art heist."

"The ones when the guys break in with guns, shoot the place up and get away with whatever they can get their hands on?" Eleanor asked, starting to feel a little better.

"Yeah that one."

"How come you haven't caught them yet?"

"Well the thieves seem to disappear, whatever their exit strategy is it's almost perfect."

"Oh damn, they're here." Eleanor said her face going pale. Two older people were walking toward them caring their luggage behind them. One of them, the woman, was short, her mousy brown hair fading grey. The other, the man, was tall and rather large, his bald head gleaming in the light.

"Oh look at my little Eleanor Elizabeth!" the woman cried embracing Eleanor in a tight hug once she reached them.

"Hi mom." Eleanor said stiffly.

"It's good to see you Ellie." The man said pulling his daughter close kissing her on the head. "You look good."

"Thanks dad. It's good to see you too."

"And who is this strapping young man?" her mother asked eyeing Neal up and down.

"Uh mom, this is G-George, George Devore, my boyfriend." Eleanor said stuttering at Neal's new name.

"Your boyfriend?" her mother squealed.

"Yes mom my boyfriend. George this is Alice, my mother, and Leroy my father."

"It's a pleasure to meet you both, truly it is." He said shaking her parents' hands.

"Handsome and a gentleman!" her mother squealed again. "Quite the catch you have here Eleanor."

"What is it that you do for a living George?" her father asked, puffing out his chest. Eleanor rolled her eyes. He looked like he was trying to scare her prom date. If only he had a shot gun to clean, it would be perfect.

"I'm an art collector. I run a small gallery in town." Neal said confidently without batting an eye.

"How long have you known my Ellie?" her father asked still skeptical of Neal.

"Hush now Leroy, you're being silly." Alice interjected.

"No, it's alright," Neal said flashing his most charming smile. "I've know your wonderful daughter for a year now."

"A year? And you haven't told me about him before?"

"Well mom we haven't been on the best of terms lately." Eleanor said rather harshly.

"Why don't we get moving?" Leroy said before Alice could retaliate.

"Let me help you with that Ma'am." Neal said taking Alice's bag.

"Well thank you." she said batting her eyelashes at Neal in a very flirtatious way.

"Mom!" Eleanor snapped. She was _not_ hitting on her boyfriend.

"What?" Alice said innocently. Neal lead the party out to the curb and began loading Eleanor's' parents' bags. Eleanor held open the door of her car to let her parents in before quickly walking back to Neal a pleading look on her face.

"Kill me now, please." She begged.

"Relax," Neal said with a smile rubbing her shoulders. "I think everything is going fine."

"Yeah, it's all peachy." She grumbled. Neal just smiled and shut the trunk. Taking the keys for Eleanor he ducked into the driver's seat and took off toward Eleanor's place.

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><p>She was in hell. She had only been around her mother for just a few hours and her mother had already pointed out thin she was, how tired she looked, how small her apartment was, and how overworked she was. It was her mother's gift, picking out all of your faults and letting the whole world know about them. Eleanor had to stop herself several times from screaming. Her mother drove her over the edge.<p>

Neal on the other hand, was having a grand old time, chatting up her parents like they were old friends. He had them charmed with his award winning smile and his devil may care attitude, telling them fabricated stories of his time abroad searching for the rarest pieces of art. Granted, the stories were probably from his early con days but he made them fit with his new line of work as an art collector. To him, this was all a piece of cake.

"Ellie you seem awfully quiet, is everything ok?" her mother asked as they sat at her kitchen table eating dinner.

"Yeah mom everything's great." She said with a small smile.

"So how have you been? How's work?"

"Work's fine mom, everything has been pretty normal."

"Oh dear, it's like talking to a teenager." Alice said to Neal rolling her eyes. "Always the short answers, 'fine', 'normal', 'great'. You know she was like this as a kid too, stubborn to the core, just like her father."

"Well if I had more to say mom then I would have said it." Eleanor said peevishly.

"Yes well I'm sure working in a hospital is a very boring job." Her mother replied giving her a cold stare.

"Would you like to know how many children I saw die today mom? Is that what you want me to talk about?"

"Oh now we're mad!" Alice said throwing her hands up in the air. "She goes from one extreme to the other! Honestly George I don't know how you can put up with her mood swings!"

"My mood swings?" Eleanor hissed her face turning bright red. "What about your mood swings? You would burn this city to the ground if someone disagreed with you!"

"Come now Eleanor you're being a drama queen." Alice snapped. Eleanor bit her tongue before reaching for her wine glass and draining it. "Well it's late; Leroy and I should be getting off to bed."

"Fine by me." Eleanor said getting up from the table and clearing away the dishes. Neal helped her father pull out the futon as her mother meandered around Eleanor's apartment getting ready for bed. Once her parents were settled in and absorbed in their game show Neal entered the kitchen to help Eleanor with the dishes.

"I can't do this Neal." She whispered scrubbing the plate in her hand vigorously. "I can't put up with her."

"Relax Ellie, I think dinner went fine." Neal said taking the plate from her and rinsing it. "Just take deep breaths, she'll be gone before you know it."

"Easier said than done Mr. Devore. Where the hell did you come up with those stories by the way?"

"They may or may not have been from my time on the run." He said simply.

"Uh huh, and I'm guessing that George Devore is one of your aliases too?"

"He's a friend."

"Right." She said with a smile. Just then Neal's phone buzzed in his pocket. He reached down and looked at it, a confused look spreading across his face.

"Who is it? Is something wrong?" Eleanor asked washing the suds off of her hands.

"No, it's an old friend." He said still looking at the phone his brows furrowed. "She's in town and says she might have some information on the art heists."

"She?"

"Is just an old friend Ellie I swear." Neal said looking up at her, his blue eyes sincere.

"I know, I believe you." Eleanor said drying her hands. "So does this mean you have to go?"

"I'm sorry, I'll be back as soon as this is over with I promise."

"No don't worry about it. I'm not so sure how well my dad will take it if he sees you sneaking in, in the middle of the night." Eleanor said looking over at her parents, her mother already passed out with her mouth hanging slightly open.

"I'll pick you up for lunch tomorrow?"

"It's a date." She smiled.

"I love you Ellie."

"I love you too George." Neal stopped and gave her a hard look as if he didn't appreciate the name change. "Don't tell me Neal Caffrey is jealous of one of his aliases?"

"hmmm." he said, still giving her the look.

"I love you too Neal. See you tomorrow." She said kissing him on the lips. He kissed her back wrapping his arms around her waist.

"Just remember to breathe and everything will be fine." He whispered in her ear. "And if that doesn't work I left you a bottle of Chateau Latour."

"Oh you know me so well." she said hugging him close. Eleanor wished he didn't have to leave. She wanted to stay right here in his arms, his body close to hers, taking in his sent with every breath. Reluctantly she let go and watched him close the front door leaving her alone with her parents. Sighing she turned off the kitchen light and walked into the living room. Quietly as she could she closed the draped and turned off all the lights. She was about to turn the TV off when her father spoke up from the futon.

"It's good to see you happy again Ellie." Eleanor smile and walked over to him kissing him on the forehead.

"Goodnight dad."

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><p>Things are about to pick up in the next chapter I promise! Tell me what you think!<p> 


	3. Chapter 3

A/n: Hey guys! Sorry for the delay, I could come up with lots of excuses but honestly I just couldn't get in the right mood. Anyways I have a new chapter now and things should start to get moving! Hope y'all enjoy!

I don't own White Collar just the little mistakes here and there!

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><p>Eleanor was beyond tired. She had spent the better part of the day chauffeuring her parents all around town, her mother barking out directions from the back seat. Eleanor argued over and over that she knew where she was going; after all she had lived in this city for a few years now. By the time she had dropped them off at her apartment and headed to work, the sun was dipping below the skyline and Eleanor had to struggle to keep her eyes open. The only highlight of her day had been when Neal showed up to take her to lunch while her parents caught a show on Broadway. She wasn't surprised when the only good thing about her day revolved around Neal. Spending time with him took away the stress of her mother's presence. His breath taking blue eyes would consumer her like a fire making her forget about the world for a while. Eleanor was beyond grateful to have a man like him in her life.<p>

But now she was sitting at work, alone, mindlessly drumming her fingers on the cold desk as patient files stared back at her innocently. Groaning Eleanor ran her fingers through her hair. She didn't want to be here. The smell of antiseptic hand soap and the nurse next hers' perfume was giving her a killer headache. All she wanted to do was lie down and end this long ass day.

"Hey Ellie!" Janet said brightly walking up the nurses' station. Eleanor groaned and hid her face in her arms.

"Hey Janet." Eleanor mumbled, her voice muffled.

"Oh man you look exhausted, long day?" she said sitting down next to her.

"You have no idea."

"Wanna talk about it?" Janet asked propping her head up on her hands, blinking her wide eyes.

"No, not really." Eleanor said giving her a strange look.

"So who are you taking to the charity party tomorrow?"

"What?" Eleanor asked rubbing her temples.

"The annual charity party, you know the one at the Sampson Gallery?"

"Shit." Eleanor said hitting herself on the head. She had completely forgotten about the party. She vaguely remembered telling Neal about it a few days ago, but being around her mother clouded her memory…her mother. "damn." She cursed again. She'd have to take them along too. Eleanor closed her eyes as her day continued to grow worse.

"Looks like someone forgot." Janet said in a singsong voice.

"Janet." Eleanor snapped wiping the smile off of her co-workers face. "Cover for me, I gotta go." She grabbed her bag and ran from the desk before Janet could protest. This had turned out to be the worst day Eleanor had had in a very long time. She just wanted it over. Eleanor slid into the front seat of her car and took off in the direction of Neal's place.

How could she be so stupid! She had known about this part for weeks, even months before her mother called. She could have used the party as an excuse to doge her parents visit, but like always her mother caught her off guard and pushed every thought from her mind. Taking a deep breath Eleanor tried to find the light at the end of the tunnel. Neal would be there by her side, helping her keep her sanity.

Eleanor knocked softly on the majestic front door of June's, Neal landlady, house, and waited for an answer. The maid opened the door looking just as tired as Eleanor. Giving her a weak smile, she made her way up the steps to Neal's rooftop apartment. By the time she had reached his apartment door she was seriously considering whether or not to crash at Neal's for the night. But when she opened the door, her mind was made up.

Neal was sitting at his kitchen table, a tall, beautiful woman with dark brown hair sat on the table, running her hand down the side of his face, a smile lingering on his lips. Eleanor felt her heart skip a beat and her breath catch in her throat as she took in the sight. Angry tears stung her eyes and her face grew hot with rage. The woman glanced over in her direction with a pleasant smile, her hand resting on Neal's shoulder.

"Ellie." Neal whispered standing up so fast that he knocked the chair over. His face was pale and his crystal blue eyes were wide with shock. Eleanor was at a loss for words. Here was Neal, her boyfriend_, her world_, sitting there with some other woman hanging all over him.

"Save it." She hissed. "I think I've seen enough."

"No Ellie it's not like that!" Neal begged, but it was already too late, Eleanor had practically run from the room. She didn't stop when he called after her, or slow down when she heard his footsteps chase after her. "Ellie please listen to me!" He called as she reached the landing, his hand wrapping around her elbow.

"Don't touch me!" she snapped pulling her arm out of his grip. "I trusted you Neal and you just threw it back in my face!"

"No Ellie, it's not like that, there is nothing going on between her and me I swear."

"It sure didn't look that way to me."

"I would never do that to you Ellie, I would never hurt you like that." Neal pleaded his blue eyes bright. Eleanor wanted to believe him, she really did, but after what she had just seen, she wasn't so sure she could anymore. After the day she had, to walking in on that, she just couldn't take it. Neal was supposed to be her rock. She would have _never_ taken him to be the cheating type.

"How can I know that?" she whispered.

"You have to…trust me." He said pausing mid sentence to hang his head.

"I don't know if I can anymore." She uttered just as a bolt of pain shot up her leg. Eleanor clenched her teeth and tried to hold back her scream. She could hear Neal move to hold her but she held up a hand to stop him.

"Ellie, please, let me help you." Neal begged his voice sounding so weak, so ashamed.

"Just, leave me alone." Eleanor managed to whisper as the pain subsided. "I just need to be alone." Taking a deep breath she started down the stairs, tears falling from her eyes.

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><p>Moving too slow or just plain horrible? I have a terrible feeling that this story isn't generating the same amount of interest as I'm Not That Easy Blue Eyes, so I might not finish it. I know where this story is going and I hope people stay interested because I promise it gets better! Just let me know!<p> 


	4. Chapter 4

A/n: This chapter is in Neal's point of view.

I don't own White Collar just the little mistakes here and there

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><p><em>"You've reached Eleanor. I can't come to the phone right now, so if you leave your name, number and the time you called I'll get right back with you! Thanks and have a great day!" <em>

"Hey…Ellie, it's me. Please call me back; I need to talk to you. Thanks…bye." Neal said somberly before hanging up. He stared down at his phone in disgust, his back to the empty conference room table. This was the tenth time in the past hour that he had called her, getting no response. She was avoiding him. Neal heard the conference room door open and the sound of files hitting the polished surface of the table. With the feeling of defeat Neal hid away his phone into the breast pocket of his vest and turned to see who had entered. Peter was standing at the end of the table in his normal 'Peter Burke Stance', his hands on his hips and an always thinking look on his face.

"How did your chat with Alex go last night?" Peter asked. Neal snorted and took a seat at the table. He rubbed his eyes, and then ran them through his hair sighing deeply. Flashes form last night had been playing over and over in his head all day.

He had just gotten home from a long day at the office when there was a soft knock at his door. He remembered hoping it was Ellie, sneaking out from the thumb of her mother to spend the night. But when he opened the door, he didn't find Ellie standing there with her cheeks flushed and bright from excitement. Instead he found Alex standing at his door, dressed in her signature skin tight leather pants and low cut tank top, batting her beautiful doe eyes.

Of course he knew she was coming over, he invited her over earlier that day, but he still looked surprised.

"_You going to let me in?"_ she asked her soft lips parting in a smile.

"_Come on in."_ he said opening the door all the way. Alex had walked in like she owned the place, tossing her hand bag on his couch and helping herself to a glass of wine.

"_Whatta you want Caffrey?"_ she had asked still standing as he took a seat at the kitchen table.

"_I need some information."_

"_Mozzie can't help you with that?"_ Alex asked him. She was right, he could have asked Mozzie and maybe then Eleanor wouldn't be avoiding him, but it would have taken time that he couldn't afford to lose.

"_I suppose I could have, but I wanted to see you."_ he had said, flashing his brightest smile. Now, Neal would have given anything to take those words back. But last night he needed information, any he was ready to use any means necessary. After a few glasses of wine, he and Alex got caught up in a light hearted conversation about the good old days and before he knew it, Alex was sitting on his kitchen table in front of him a dangerous look in her eyes. He remembered looking up at her, her brown eyes soft, her dark hair tucked behind her ear. Her arm reached out, her hand cupping the side of his face. Her touch was cool and brought back many pleasant memories, but he had moved on now. He had found someone else to share his love with. Only he never heard his apartment door open, even after wracking his brain over and over, he never heard his new love walk in on them.

The look on Eleanor's face made his heart break every time he thought about it. Her face was flushed with anger but her eyes were wide with betrayal. He could imagine what it looked like to her, an unknown woman leaning over her boyfriend. Neal had to admit, it didn't look good. He tried running after her, to explain, he had to explain it to her. There was nothing going on between him and Alex, not anymore, if he told her then she would understand. But she didn't listen to him. She was so…angry at him. Then her leg flared up, and he tried to help her but she pushed him away. She said he'd broken her trust.

But what drove him crazy, what made him the most frustrated was, this wasn't all his fault. He didn't do everything wrong. He wanted to explain himself, he still did. He wanted to tell his side of the story and she didn't listen. She jumped to all the wrong conclusions. She ran off before hearing the whole story. She claimed to have trusted him, but Neal began to wonder how much she actually trusted him in the first place.

No, what was he thinking? This was Eleanor he was talking about. Maybe she had her reasons for the way she acted. Maybe he needed to hear her side of the story, give her the chance she didn't give him.

"Caffrey!" Peter snapped when Neal didn't answer him. Neal's head shot up and looked Peter in the eye.

"Sorry, yeah, things went great."

"Did she know anything?"

"According to Alex, there are three possible galleries the thieves are planning to hit."

"Three? Any chance you got the names for those galleries?"

"Peter," Neal said giving him a disbelieving look. "You know me better. Of course I got the names."

"Care to share with the class?" Peter asked rolling his eyes.

"The Sampson, the Gagosian, and the Met."

"Which one do you think they'll hit?"

"Well the Met and the Gagosian are pretty high profile galleries, more security, doesn't really fit they're M.O."

"So you think they'll hit the Sampson." Peter said sitting down brainstorming.

"Think about it, it makes the most sense. The Sampson is smaller and has easy access to the alley way perfect for a getaway vehicle. The art is valuable but not so much so that it requires heavy security. They have two or three guards, at most, on duty. It's perfect for their style."

"You cased the gallery." Peter said more as a statement then a question.

"I'm very thorough." Neal said flashing his perfect grim. Peter just rolled his eyes.

"I'll have Jones and Diana set up teams to sit on the other two places." Peter said getting to his feet and taking the files off the table.

"We'll be in the van?" Neal asked not moving.

"Yup."

"Deviled Ham?"

"Of course. Want me to make you one?"

"No thanks I'll pass."

"Have it your way then. Meet me here at seven and say hello to Eleanor for me." Peter said before walking out the room. A frown formed on Neal's lips as he pulled out his phone and dialed Eleanor's number one more time. There was a nagging feeling in his gut that he couldn't shake. It had something to do with the Sampson gallery he just didn't know what. He had a vague memory of someone telling him something about a party happening at the Sampson. Was it Mozzie? Or maybe it was Alex telling him a story about it last night? Regardless, he couldn't remember and that made his nagging feeling worse.

_"You've reached Eleanor. I can't come to the phone right now, so if you leave your name, number and the time you called I'll get right back with you! Thanks and have a great day!" _

"Ellie, it's Neal again…."

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><p>Tell me what you think!<p> 


	5. Chapter 5

Eleanor felt like shit. There was no other way to put it. Deep down in the bottom of her heart, she felt stupid, ridiculous, and just downright crummy. She wanted to curl up in a ball and hide from the world. She did not want to be here, all dressed up at some stupid charity party alone. Sure she would smile whenever a colleague or friend said hello, but in all honesty all she wanted to do was scream. She knew why she felt this way and she knew all too well that she brought it on herself.

She stood in front of a marvelous painting with different shades of blue spread across the canvas, each telling a different story. A dark navy blue, full of torment and animosity swirled into a brilliant forget me not light blue that captured the essence of a perfect summer day. It was spectacular, way out of her price range, but Eleanor was drawn to it. Perhaps because it reminded her of someone she knew or to be more exact, someone's eyes.

She had been avoiding Neal and all of his fifty eight calls more out of guilt than anger. She had been so stupid and so quick to judge last night that she didn't even give him the chance to explain. Eleanor had spent the whole day thinking about last night. She tormented herself over and over with the image of some woman sitting on Neal's kitchen table, her hands all over him. She had the right to be mad didn't she? From where she stood it looked as if he was cheating on her! Who wouldn't be mad? But then she thought of his face. The look of pure terror in his eyes was enough to make her bite her tongue. The sound of his pleading voice, dripping with honesty, begging her to listen made her cheeks burn with guilt. But did she listen to him? Hell no! She was so full of rage and hurt that she ran from him, without giving him the benefit of the doubt.

God she was such an idiot! She had managed to screw up her first real relationship she had had in five years in a matter of minutes. When did she get to be like this? When did she become the over jealous, restricting girlfriend? Maybe she was doing Neal a favor, maybe they shouldn't be together. Her phone began to vibrate in her clutch and with quick hands she reached for it. Neal's number shone brightly on the LCD screen and Eleanor felt her breath catch in her throat. Her heart ached for her to answer it, just to hear his voice, but she couldn't bring herself to do it. What could she say? 'Hey Neal sorry I acted like a psycho jack ass last night. Let's make up and be friends again.'? She needed more time to think things out.

"There you are Eleanor! Your father and I have been looking for you!" Her mother said wrapping a hand around her arm. "We need your opinion on a piece of art we want to buy." Eleanor just sighed and let her mother drag her away.

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><p>"Neal, relax, we have both the exits covered and cameras on all the exhibits. If anything goes down we can handle it." Peter said in between bites of his sandwich.<p>

"Peter please, just let me go see if she's in there." Neal pleaded his heart pounding in his chest. He was sitting in the cramped surveillance van, Peter's Deviled Ham sandwich stinking up the stale air. On one of the computer monitors was the exterior of the Sampson gallery, dark purple banners hanging from the windows, with the words 'Lennox Hospital Annual Charity Party' written in gold letters. Now Neal remembered why the name Sampson sounded so familiar. Ellie's work party was being held there.

"I can't risk it. Just call her."

"I did, she didn't answer." Neal said defeated.

"What's going on between you two?"

"Nothing." Neal lied quickly.

"Alex?" Peter guessed. Neal looked over at the agent with guilty eyes. "Neal when are you going to learn?"

"It's not like that, nothing happened between me and Alex."

"Does Ellie know that?"

"I didn't get the chance to tell her, she won't answer my calls."

"Give her some time Neal." Peter said going back to watching the monitors and eating his sandwich. "Eleanor is a reasonable person, she'll come around." Neal just bit his lip. He turned his chair to face the monitor that covered the gallery lobby, his eyes searching for her familiar face.

* * *

><p>Somehow Eleanor was able to escape her mother's firm grip and found herself back at the blue painting. She couldn't even begin to express the joy she felt when she heard that her parents would be packing up and leaving tomorrow. Their stay had been exhausting and left Eleanor feeling that she needed a vacation. It was morbidly funny how she could feel so crappy over the whole Neal dilemma and yet so happy at the thought of her mother leaving. Her head was beginning to throb as a man, sharply dressed walked up to her.<p>

"Beautiful piece." He said leaning forward to examine the painting.

"Yeah, a bit pricy too." Eleanor said with a smile. The man standing next to her didn't look that familiar. He had straw colored hair that framed his young face. He looked barely over the age twenty. "Forgive me if I'm being rude, but do you work at the hospital? I've never seen you before."

"Just started last week, I'm Dr. Carmichael." He said extending his hand and flashing a bright smile. Eleanor took his hand and tried her best to return the smile. If there was a new doctor at the hospital then she would have know about it and there was something in his smile that made her uneasy.

"Would you excuse me a minute?" Eleanor asked politely as she took a step back. She needed to get to a guard as soon as possible. This man was not here just to look at the art; he was here for something else. The smile fell from the young man's face as his eyes darted over to a taller, much scarier man standing in the shadows. The scary man grabbed Eleanor from behind, preventing her from leaving the room. His thick hands clasped around Eleanor's waist holding her close to his large body.

"Goin' somewhere sweetheart?" he asked in a slimly voice.

"Get your hands off of me!" she hissed struggling in his tight grip.

"Can't do that sugar, we can't let you go run and ruin our plans." He sneered, his breath hot on her neck.

"Let's do this!" the young man said pulling a ski mask over his young face and a gun from the back of his pants. Eleanor watched in horror as he fired off a few shots moving into the lobby. The scary man followed behind him dragging Eleanor along kicking her legs up in the air. Three more men appeared out of the crowd of hospital employees welding guns and ski masks. "This is a robbery! Everyone on the ground!"

* * *

><p>Neal had finally found her. She was standing alone in an exhibit room by a rather nice painting. Her arms were crossed and a sad expression hung on her face. He'd never seen her looking so beautiful. She had on a purple silk dress that hugged all of her curves in all of the right places. She looked stunning, and sad. Neal got lost for a moment, just looking at her, but then something strange happened. Another man, dressed in an expensive suit walked up to her and the painting. They talked and then he extended his hand for her to shake. The look on Eleanor's face spoke volumes, confusion, panic, and fear. Something wasn't right. Eleanor took a step back but was caught by a hulk of a man holding her tight. Anger washed through Neal at the thought of another man touching her.<p>

"Peter!" Neal called to the agent who was already on his feet, his gun drawn.

"Stay in the van!" Peter yelled as the sound of gunfire rang out.

"Eleanor is in there!" Neal began to protest.

"Damn it Neal for once in your life, listen to me and stay here!" he shouted before he ran from the van, two agents close behind.

* * *

><p>The scary man's hands were rough and hard on her stomach. She struggled and fought against him, kicking him and scratching him, but his grip only got tighter. Two men from the group quickly took out the two rent-a-cops knocking them out cold with the butt of their guns. The other two began cutting paintings out of their frames and stuffing them into a black bag.<p>

"Sit tight sweetheart." The scary man said in her ear, his hand caressing her side. Eleanor could feel bile rise in her throat as she fought harder. Just then the glass doors of the gallery opened to reveal Agent Burke along with two other agents. Relief swept over Eleanor but was quickly diminished when the scary man pulled out a gun and shoved it against her head. Someone screamed and Eleanor could tell it was her mother. She tried her hardest to hold back the tears of fear that threatened to spill over.

"Freeze FBI!" Agent Burke shouted his gun drawn and pointed at the scary man. His eyes darted to the other four men stuffing priceless pieces of art into the duffle bag, unfazed by the three FBI agents. "I said freeze!" he shouted again taking a step forward. A chill ran down Eleanor's back as she heard the gun cock in the scary man's hand.

"No so fast there fed." He growled. "I would hate to blow her pretty little head off."

"Let her go!" Agent Burke said watch as one of the masked men finished cutting out a painting.

"Or what? You gonna kill me?" the scary man sneered. "She'll be dead before you even pull the trigger!" Eleanor let out an involuntary whimper as the scary man buried his head in her hair, smelling her. "It would be a shame to kill her, so sweet; I'd like to take her home if you know what I mean."

"Let her go, and we can talk this out."

"We all know that's not likely to happen agent." One of the masked men said placing the duffle bag on his shoulder. "But thanks for coming; it sure made for an interesting twist." With that, the scary man pushed Eleanor onto the floor. Her head hit the marble floor with a sickening crack as the crew ran to the back exits and into the night. Through blurry eyes, Eleanor could see Agent Burke waving to his fellow agents to follow the thieves as he ran to her side.

"Ellie, Ellie can you hear me?" he asked pulling her up in his arms, lightly taping her face.

"Yeah." She said blinking her eyes.

"Are you hurt?"

"My head…hurts." She said her hand gently touching her hair line. It felt warm and sticky. She brought her hand down and saw blood shinning on her finger tips.

"Boss," one of the agents said running up to Agent Burke. "We lost them, I'm sorry sir, they're gone."

"Damn it." Agent Burke said still holding Eleanor. "Call an ambulance."

"Don't worry about it Agent Burke." Eleanor said waving him off and sitting up. "We're in a room full of doctors after all."

"Yeah I guess you're right. Can you stand?"

"I think so." She said letting him help her to her feet. She looked around her. Wide eyes and scared glances were everywhere but the pair that stood out to her, was a pair of brilliant blues standing in gallery door way. Neal was white as a sheet, his hair messy, and his eyes full of fear. She wanted to run to him but before she could take a step her parents and Dr. Stevens swarmed around her.

"Oh Eleanor are you ok?" her mother asked wrapping her in a tight embrace. "I was so scared and that man! Oh I'm just so glad that you're safe!"

"Here Ellie, let me take a look at you." Dr. Stevens said stepping in between her and her mother. Eleanor stole a glance back at the door but Neal had vanished.

"Are you going to be ok Ellie?" Agent Burke asked looking at her with concern.

"Yeah... yeah I'm fine." she said giving him a weak smile.

"I need to take you back to the office." He said still holding onto her arm. Eleanor just nodded and let him lead her out of the gallery. Her head was throbbing and spinning at the same time. Everything was moving so fast, she just wanted it all to slow down. The night air was thick with flashing lights and the yells of FBI agents and police officers. Agent Burke walked up to a female agent that Eleanor recognized as Agent Barrigan.

"Diana is going to take you and you parents back to the office, I'll be there as soon as I can."

"Ok," Eleanor said giving him a weak smile. "Agent Burke, thank you."

"As soon as I can, I promise." Eleanor nodded and got in the passenger side of Agent's Barrigan's car. As she closed the car door she saw Neal standing beside a multipurpose van a stricken look on his face. He looked horrible, like everything that just happened was his fault. Eleanor sunk down in her seat and closed her eyes. The way she felt before was nothing compared to how she felt now. This was all her fault.

* * *

><p>Tell me what you think!<p> 


	6. Chapter 6

"Ms. Roberts, can you tell me what happened from the beginning?" Agent Burke said in his most professional tone. Rain pattered gently on the window behind him, the city lights making the droplets shine like diamonds. Eleanor took a deep breath as she began to recount the night's events. She sat in his office, shivering, while her parents huddled together in the adjacent conference room awaiting their turn to give their statements. Her head was still throbbing from her collision with the gallery floor. But what made her head really hurt was the intense blue eye stare behind her. She felt like a fool, a child, and that made her head spin with shame. Eleanor had reached the part in the story when she met the so called Dr. Carmichael and felt her heart pick up speed.

"He said he was new at the hospital, but I didn't remember hearing about a new doctor. That's when I knew something was wrong. So I excused myself…I was going to find one of the guards…but before I could leave that-than man grabbed me." Eleanor paused, the feeling of the scary man's hands on her body still fresh in her mind.

"We can take a break if you want." Agent Burke said dropping his earlier tone to sound more like the Peter Burke she had met.

"No, it's fine. I'm fine." Eleanor said firmly gathering the strength to continue. "He grabbed me and took me into the lobby as Dr. Carmichael starting shooting. I think three more men appeared, I can't be sure…the guards came out…I couldn't see what happened; I was trying to get away. Next thing I knew the guards were down and the men were cutting paintings out of their frames. The man who was holding me, he-he kept touching me and whispering in my ear. I tried to get away but h-he was holding me so tight." Eleanor said wrapping her arms around her middle involuntarily. Neal made a strange noise behind her, like a cross between a hiss and a growl. Agent Burke shot him a glance before giving Eleanor an encouraging look. "That's when you showed up and he put a gun to my head." She heard Neal shift behind her and saw Agent Burke's eyes shoot back in his direction.

"Thank you Eleanor," Agent Burke said his eyes still on Neal. "I know how difficult that was for you. If you'll just give me a few minutes, I need to take your parent's statement then you can go." He said getting up.

"Thanks Peter." Eleanor said softly as he walked out a side door into the conference room. As soon as the door shut, she felt warmth envelop her as Neal placed his suit jacket over her. He pulled out the chair next to her and sat down in it so he was facing her dead on. His hands wrapped around hers, his thumb stroking the top side of her hand. It felt so good to feel his touch again. Her eyes met his and a jolt of electricity shot through her body.

"I'm sorry." They both said at the same time. Eleanor let out a small laugh as the stricken look on Neal's face softened a little.

"You go first." She said squeezing his hand.

"I'm so sorry Ellie." Neal said his voice boarder line hysterical. "Last night, I swear nothing happened. She was just over to talk some shop, we had some wine and got caught up in the old days…nothing happened. I would never cheat on you. I love you too much."

"I know." Eleanor said delicately. Neal opened his mouth to defend himself but quickly shut it, confusion spreading across his face.

"You know?"

"Yeah blue eyes." she smiled. "If there is anyone in this room who is guilty of anything it's me. I was the one who jumped to conclusions, not you."

"But-"

"I didn't listen to you when I should have. I was having this really crappy day, everything with my mom and work had gotten to me...I was in a horrible mood and when I walked in on you and that woman…it was just the icing on the cake. I flipped out when I should have listened. I'm sorry."

"Ellie it's not your fault. You acted like any person would have acted in that situation. Only I shouldn't have been in that situation in the first place, I shouldn't have let it get that far."

"So now we're going to blame ourselves?" Eleanor said with a laugh.

"It seems like it." Neal smiled.

"I think it's my fault and you think it's your fault. That's classic, they should make a movie. It would be a really cheesy movie though; I doubt anyone would go see it."

"I'd see it." Neal said moving closer to her.

"Really?" Eleanor asked, surprised.

"Yeah, you wouldn't?"

"Well it depends; the lead would have to be extremely handsome."

"There are plenty of good looking people in Hollywood."

"He'd have to have amazing blue eyes."

"Well now that's narrowing the field." Neal said just inches away from her lips.

"And he'd have to be a charming con man, by the name of Neal Caffrey."

"Neal Caffrey huh? Sounds like a high class actor." Neal said tucking her hair behind her ear.

"I only accept the best." Eleanor shrugged, her eyes burning into his.

"You know what I'd need?" he whispered in his silkiest, sexiest voice.

"What?"

"You." he said right before his lips met hers. She kissed him, holding him close. Tonight and last night seemed to just float away. She had her Neal back. After everything, he was hers again.

"I love you." she said her arms wrapped around his neck.

"And I love you." he said kissing her again. "Come on, Peter should be finishing up with your parents." They stood arm and arm and walked out of Agent Burke's office the same time as her parents were leaving the conference room.

"George, when did you get here?" Eleanor's mother asked her tired eyes confused.

"Uh just a few minutes ago, Ellie called and told me what happened, I got here as soon as I could." Neal said quickly formulating a story.

"Oh, well I'm so glad you could make it George, our Ellie has been through so much tonight."

"Who's George?" Agent Burke asked stepping out of the conference room to join that conversation.

"Agent Burke this is George Devore, he's Ellie's boyfriend." Eleanor's mother said pointing to Neal.

"That's not George Devore, that's Neal Caffrey." Peter said with a confused laugh. Neal shot him a warning look to stop but it was too late.

"What are you talking about Agent Burke? That man's name is George Devore, Eleanor's boyfriend. I don't know anything about this Neal Caffrey character."

"Uh would you excuse me, I need to get a file." Agent Burke said quickly realizing his mistake and exiting down the short flight of stairs into the main floor.

"Eleanor what is he talking about?" her father asked equally confused as her mother.

"Maybe we should take this into the conference room?" Neal said ushering Eleanor's family inside.

"Eleanor Elizabeth Roberts you tell me what is going on right now." Her mother demanded once they were all in the conference room.

"Mom," Eleanor said taking a seat at the head of the table. "George Devore is not a real person, he is an alias."

"What are you talking about? Tell me the truth young lady!"

"Mr. and Mrs. Roberts, my name isn't George Devore and I'm not an art collector." Neal said taking a seat next to Eleanor looking her parents dead in the eye. "My name is Neal Caffrey and I'm a con man."

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><p>Tell me what you think!<p> 


	7. Chapter 7

"A-a con man?" Her mother said in a faint voice before she collapsed into the nearest chair, fanning herself with her hand. Eleanor's father walked to the other end of the table and sat down, his elbows resting on the polished surface, his hand clasped in front of him.

"Have you been convicted?" her father asked, his voice solemn.

"Uh yes Sir. Peter, Agent Burke, caught me four years ago on bond forgery. I'm serving out the rest of my sentence as a consultant." Neal answered his hands behind his back trying to look as innocent as possible.

"A convicted con man?" her mother shrieked. Eleanor saw out of the back of her eye Neal flinch at the words.

"Mom-" Eleanor interjected tiredly.

"Oh well this just keeps getting better and better!"

"Mom will you please calm down and let me explain."

"Next you're going to tell me that he killed someone!"

"Alice Roberts will you shut up for one second in your life and listen to me!" Eleanor yelled silencing her mother and gaining a surprised look from Neal. "Please!" her mother looked like a gold fish out of water, her mouth opening and closing in disbelief. Eleanor's face felt flushed and her blood pounded in her ears. She had lived under her mother's oppressing thumb for too long and she had taken enough of her crap. "This is exactly why I didn't tell you truth in the first place, because I knew you would act like this!"

"And how would you like me to act Eleanor? I just found out that you're dating a criminal! Did you just want me to smile and tell you that's ok? For heaven's sake Eleanor! He. Is. A. Criminal!"

"So what? He's still a person mom! I don't care that he is a criminal! He's not that person anymore! For once, just for once, step out of your comfort zone and be a little more accepting of other people!"

"You watch the way you speak to me young lady!" her mother hiss pointing a finger at her. "You may not live under my roof anymore but I am still your mother. You better show me some respect!"

"You're right, you are my mother and I don't live under your roof anymore. I am thirty two years old, I have earned the right to date who ever I want to and there is nothing you can do about it. I love Neal no matter who he is or what he's done and if you can't accept that, well I feel sorry for you." Eleanor said getting to her feet. Her mother looked shocked beyond belief. She was just about to open her mouth to yell, when Eleanor's father finally spoke up.

"Alice, relax." He said.

"Leroy, you can't be serious! He is a criminal! You want a criminal dating our daughter?"

"I don't think it matters what I think. Ellie's made up her mind." He said gesturing to Eleanor who was now standing hand and hand with Neal, a determined look on her face. Pride swelled in her heart as her father defended her. He always was the more understanding one, the referee standing between her and her mother. "Besides, George - I mean Neal, has been nothing but a gentleman to us. If he wants to date my Ellie, that's fine with me."

"Leroy!"

"Alice, it's been a long and hectic day for all of us. We don't need to end it in an argument."

"Fine." She said in a huff grabbing her things and getting to her feet. She smoothed out her dress before turning to face Eleanor, her head held high. "Well, Eleanor are you coming or not?"

"Not right now," Eleanor said taking her house key out of her clutch and handing it to her dad. "Take my key I'll be home later."

"I'm glad you're safe honey." He said kissing her on her forehead. "And if you hurt my little girl," he said turning to Neal. "Don't think I won't find you."

"Yes Sir, I wouldn't dream of it." Neal said shaking his hand, apprehension shining through his eyes. Eleanor watched as her parents walked out of the bullpen her mother still ranting a raving. "Well…that wasn't so bad." Neal said with a sigh.

"Wasn't so bad? Were you not standing in the same room I was?" Eleanor asked in disbelief. "I was lucky that I didn't get disowned!"

"Give it some time; your mom will come around." He said holding her close.

"Yeah maybe in another five years." Eleanor snorted.

"What can I say; Neal Caffrey is a lot to process."

"You're telling me." She smiled kissing him.

"Ready to go?" he asked taking her hand.

"Can we make a pit stop first?"

"My place?" he asked with a sparkle in his eye that Eleanor knew all too well.

"I think it would be best."

"I love you." he said smiling at her with his most genuine smile. "Have I ever told you that?"

"Once or twice." She smiled back. They walked down to the bull pen and were just about to leave when Agent Burke stopped them.

"Neal, Eleanor, about earlier…"

"Yeah, nice going there Butch." Neal said giving him a playful slap on the back. "Once again your timing is impeccable."

"I'm sorry if I caused any problems."

"Don't worry about it Agent Burke, it was bound to happen sooner or later."

"Yeah," he said with a laugh looking awkward, not really sure how to move on from there.

"Night Peter." Neal said turning on his heel, rolling his eyes at the bumbling agent.

"Thanks again Agent Burke for everything tonight."

"It's my job." He said his smile falling from his face. "We'll catch them, I swear."

"I know you will." She said placing a kiss on his cheek before running out of the bull pen and meeting up with Neal in front of the elevator. She wrapped her arms around his and rested her head on his shoulder.

"Long day huh?"

"Unbelievable long."

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><p><strong>An: Tell Me what you think!**


	8. Chapter 8

"So how does it feel?" Neal asked handing Eleanor a glass of wine. She was curled up on his couch as the heavy rain pounded on the roof.

"Exhilarating, no beyond exhilarating." She said taking the glass from him with a smile on her face. "Words can't even begin to describe it. I feel like I'm being let out of prison for the first time!"

"You are equating a visit from your parents to prison?" Neal asked his eyebrows arching.

"Oh I forgot who I was talking to." She joked snuggling close to him. "Mister Neal Caffrey, con artist and prison escape extraordinaire."

"But seriously was it really that bad?"

"No, not really." She admitted. And it was the truth. Sure there were times when she wanted to rip her mother's head off, but in the long run it could have been worse. When she and Neal drove her parents to the airport in the morning, her mother was a perfectly normal composed southern lady. There was no hint of distain toward Neal or disapproving looks, it was as if last night didn't even happen. Eleanor had the slightest feeling that somehow her father was behind it.

"That's what I thought." Neal said propping his feet up on his coffee table.

"I miss this." Eleanor said sipping her wine.

"What?"

"Just sitting here with you, talking. It feels like we haven't done this in ages." She said resting her head on him. "I'm always at the hospital and you're off doing what even con men consultants do, we never have time to just sit and talk."

"We have time now what do you want to talk about?" Neal asked.

"I donno, stuff I guess? I mean come on were not really a normal couple are we?"

"It all depends on your definition of normal." Neal said his thumb stroking her arm. Eleanor smiled. She wished she could stay like this forever, happy. The past few days had been a whirlwind of emotions and she wasn't the only victim. She was sure Neal had his fare share of troubles too. His stricken face was still bouncing around in her head. And just like that a dark cloud had settled on her heart.

"Neal, are you happy?"

"Of course I'm happy, I'm with you." Neal said with a smile.

"No, I mean it Neal. Are you happy?" she said again, for some reason fearing the answer.

"Why do you ask?"

"You're a con man. You live fast and loose. Isn't this," she said gesturing to the both of them, "against your nature? You know, a steady relationship…settling down?"

"Ellie…" Neal started closing his eyes. Eleanor bit her lip as Neal's grip tightened. He drew in a deep breath as if to launch into a long and drawn out explanation. His eyes opened and met hers. They were shining with such a bright intensity that it made Eleanor blink. "Ellie who I am…it's complicated, but believe me when I say that I love you and that I am happy."

"Then I'm happy." She said a wide smile breaking across her face. She leaned in and kissed his soft lips. That is all she wanted. She wanted him to be happy.

"Did your dad hear us come in last night?" Neal asked as they broke apart.

"I don't think so." She said with a sly smile on her face. "Why do you ask?"

"Well after everything that happened last night I would have thought… never mind." Neal said with a shake of his head.

"What? Oh don't tell me you were afraid!" Eleanor said trying to hold back a fit of laughter.

"Are you laughing at me?"

"I would never!" she snorted placing her wine glass down so she didn't spill its contents.

"You are laughing at me!" he said in disbelief. "I can't believe you are laughing at me!"

"It's more like laughing with you." she said her body shaking from laughter.

"Oh really?" Neal asked grabbing her around her waist and tickling her sides sending her into a fit of laughter. She fell back onto the couch as Neal continued to tickle her mercilessly.

"Stop it!" she yelled though gasps of air.

"Will you stop laughing at me?" Neal asked looming over her, devilish smile on his handsome face.

"I'll stop! I'll stop!" she laughed uncontrollably. The tickle assault stopped but Neal remained on top her, his perfect blue eyes sparkling. "What?" she asked.

"You are so beautiful." He said brushing stray hair out of her face. His fingers traced down her chin line and rested on her lips. Then he kissed her. An electric shock ran through her body as she entangled her fingers in his hair. In his arms, there was no other place she wanted to be. She was gone, gone baby gone.

The End

**A/n: Well, this is the end! Thanks for all the reviews, alerts, and favorites. And of course, a HUGE thank you to all who stuck with Eleanor! Its makes my heart happy. Now I have one question for you all. I have some ideas rolling around in my head for a new Neal and Eleanor story and I need some help. I have two options going so far. Option one: a kidnapping involving the art thieves from this story, someone kicking some butt, and someone going crazy with worry. Or option two: something sexy that involves Neal and Eleanor going undercover to crack something, I just don't know what (I could use some help on this matter too. It has to be something that would involve Eleanor). Tell me what you think! I love hearing your opinions! And again, thanks for reading my story!**


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